Ok Sally… I’ll go with you most of the way, but I think now you’ve gone too far! Raw meat appetizers? Those containing raw lamb, raw beef, raw fish? I’m not so sure about this! I’m not a huge fan of tartar and this goes a bit further than that!!!

Ok.. so I guess I do love me some high quality sushi! Mmmm… that, in my book, is a little piece of heaven! I could have sushi every day! I just wish it wasn’t so pricey, and no, I don’t count the sushi at the local chinese buffet as even edible.

But back to the raw lamb, beef and raw fish salads. I guess I shouldn’t judge. I guess I did have to try sushi for the first time at one point in my life and I guess I’m going to have to try a few of these. Any pointers? Any favorites for you?

As I also read additional information in this chapter about the benefits of the raw meats, it started to change my mind and convince me that the benefits are immense. The first being the need for vitamin B6. This vitamin is shown to increase fertility, but deficiencies can be severe. Some effects of low amounts of this nutrient include PMS, morning sickness, diabetes, heart disease, carpal tunnel, toxemia in pregnancy, asthma and some cancers and much more. That alone should be convincing enough… but not for me… still a little leary of flavor and texture!

Another bonus in my book, though!!!! Raw milk contains Vitamin B6! I’m ok so far! This isn’t helping in the decision to cut out dairy or not!

This will still take some contemplating and A LOT of courage! I’ll be sure to let all of you know if I take the dive!

Gourmet Appetizers

This chapter is just as it sounds… gourmet! The ingredients are way too expensive for our grocery budget, nor do I currently have dinner parties where these dishes would be appreciated. There was a time, but that was pre-kids with a dual income!

I really don’t bemoan the fact. I LOVE my life now and there will be a time when dinner parties may crop up on our calendar once again. I look forward to that, but I’m content with where we are currently! Also, a lot of these recipes use grains and dairy which we are trying to avoid at the moment. Possibly that will change and we may be able to test these out!

However, the side bars, once again provide a lot of very interesting information. I think I’ve mentioned vitamin B12 before and the fact that it can only be obtained from animal products. Fallon comes down pretty hard on vegetarians, stating that they harm themselves and their babies in utero or via breastfeeding becuase their children aren’t getting enough of the vitamin which is essential for brain growth and normal functioning. Even though seaweed does have vitamin B12 there have been studies to show that it doesn’t help to correct the deficiency.

Another excerpt talks about the benefits of goose and duck fat which seem to correspond with lower incidences of heart disease, along with eating foie gras. Of course this study was in frenchman, particularly those of the Gascony region. I’ve heard that there are some butchers in northern virginia that do sell duck fat. I’ve also heard that it is amazing and once tasting it and cooking with it there is no return! Dear hubby would love it if we ate foie gras weekly and I’m sure would be a fan of the duck fat as well. It is on my future to do list, which is so long it will probably be at least a year before it happens!

Anyway, another great chapter, with lots of interesting information. Take a look for yourself!